Wild Old West

Chapter 1 to save a life

Chapter 1: A life to save

Damn you eddy...

Those were the last words that crossed Edd's mind as the hangman's noose scratched his pale delicate neck. What had he been thinking...? Listening to that imbecile had only proven once more to be an error in his calculations. But then his calculations were one of the reasons Edward P. Feccia* had recruited the genius. His mind had been his savior then; yet it was his down fall now.

He could no longer hear what was being read about his crimes, bit that he would have needed to hear someone else's word to remember the misdeeds he, Ed and Eddy had performed. But why was he sentenced to death whilst the others were set free?

He knew the answer already. Ed was too mentally slow to fully understand the actions he took part in. His family was simply fined. For Edd, there was to family to pay his fine, no sneaky brother for a sheriff to set him free with a slap on the wrist as per Eddy's punishment.

No. He was left in jail only over night while the noose was made. He knew that the law required he go free as a slave or husband if someone paid his bail.

He did not hold much hope in his options. He was pale, small, weak, and now a convicted felon. No one was going to save him.

He lifted his head, thankful that he had been allowed to keep his beaten old had, the Judge and probable mayor of the little town said his name.

"-plead guilty of all crimes to which you stand accused, have you any final words?"

Of course, but none the like of you would understand. He bit back a bitter smile, in his final hours his sass had not left him. For a moment he opened his mouth as to say something, instead to brilliant ravenette closed his mouth and shook his head. "No."

Edd glanced around the crowd, sending out a final pleading thought to any of the on lookers; begging with his eyes to be saved. Instead a masked man gripped onto a lever, panic swept over Edd causing him to go rigid. He saw the man's grip tighten around the lever, he took a final breath of air. He had often wondered what death would be like. What the act of dying felt like, and whether there would be an afterlife for him. There were still so many questions unanswered, so much of life he had not gotten to experience.

At least I'll die without heart break... his final thought as his eyes snapped shut his head brought down so his hat could hide any last minute tears.

-x-

"STOP!"

The voice rang through the ravenettes head. He was still breathing, still tied up with that itchy piece of rope around his neck, but alive. Had it been an eternity while he waited for the trap door beneath his feet to fall through? Was he reliving this nightmare in some part of his own personal hell? His questions were met with an angry looking mayor ordering the masked man to remove the noose and cut his bindings.

This was it. Eddy had come through for him. Edd quickly looked around for his friend, but his face was not in the crowd. Instead he found a new face, an unfamiliar face in the crowd staring lazily at him with piercing green eyes that looked much too similar to the mayors to call for a coincidence.

The mayor was blocking Edd's view of the man in a matter of moments. "You were lucky today. M-someone has paid you fine. But hear me now and listen well Eddward Vincent. If you value your life you will do every thing this person says. You will serve them and you will stay away from Eddy Feccia* do you understand me?"

Edd nodded. The mayor nodded. He was quick to grab Edd's arm and roughly lead him through the sneering crowd. He only let go once the smaller male was face to face with the red head from the crowd.